Withlacoochee River Name Origins: Muscogee for 'Long Water' or 'Crooked Water'

The name Withlacoochee derives from the Muscogee (Creek) language. Linguists and historians generally agree it means one of the following:

• Long Water or Big Water
• Yellow Water (referring to tannin-stained color)
• Crooked Water (describing its meandering course)

The river flows through central Florida, and its name reflects the perspective of the Indigenous peoples who lived along its banks for centuries.